It’s not about Luck Part 2

So maybe this is the part where I admit that there is a little bit of luck involved. I have been very fortunate to have been able to develop an incredible support team. It’s rare for an author to become successful without a good support system. It’s why acknowledgements are usually so long.

I have four different support systems I want to talk about.

My family—more specifically my husband. He gives me the support I need so I can write. When I first started out, he encouraged me to write. When I started publishing, he told everyone who would listen that I published a book. He gave me the freedom to write and didn’t give me a bad time about ignoring the family. When I decided that I wanted to write full time. He didn’t hesitate. Without a supportive husband and family, I wouldn’t be able to do this.

My slave driver cheerleader, Virginia. No clue where I would be without this girl. She’s read everything I’ve ever written and loved every word. When I was writing Kissed, I would get desperate emails from her wanting the next chapter. I don’t know how I landed a Virginia or how anyone else can get one, but she’s the reason I’m where I am. Her role has changed significantly in the last couple of years and now she manages most of my marketing efforts and keeps me on track. The only reason I’m writing this blog right now is because she sent me an email that said, “I need a blog post from you.”

My writing team. This has also evolved over the last few years as I transitioned from just a writer to an author. It started with critique partners. Fabulous ones, that I now count among the best of friends. Then as I started publishing, I knew I needed to expand my team. I now have editors, cover designers, formatters, narrators, and others who help make my books what they are. Without them, this wouldn’t be possible.

My fans—I’m not gonna lie, this one surprised the heck out of me. I remember the first email I got from someone I didn’t know raving about the book. I cried. I just couldn’t quite believe people actually liked it. Art of any kind is deeply personal, even if it’s complete fiction. Putting it out in the world is scary. Almost without warning, I had fans. That became a catalyst for me to continue. I write, not for myself, but for my readers. I love being able to create worlds that allow people to escape from reality for a few hours. I thrive on the words of my fans. They are an enormous support system. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to write like I do.

Support is important. If you don’t have supportive people in your life, go find them. You’ll be happier and enjoy the journey a lot more.